Frequency and types of chest wall recurrences among node negative breast cancer patients

From 1979 to 1982 a total of 2,467 patients with invasive breast carcinoma were included in the DBCG low-risk group (protocol 77a) and treated with mastectomy only. During a follow-up period from 4 to 7 years, 246 cases (10%) were reported with chest wall recurrence as first site of failure. For several reasons 58 cases were omitted. The material therefore comprises 188 cases. By a histo-pathologic re-evaluation the material was classified in three groups, i.e. 1) 31 cases with an evident new primary cancer, 2) 9 cases with a questionable new primary cancer, and 3) 148 cases with a true recurrence. Demonstration of residual breast tissue, multicentricity, and high differentiation of the original cancer, were features significantly related to the group of evident and questionable new primary cancers. Within the follow-up period no difference in mortality between the three groups were found.